Reading Lamp for 12 VDC

[Larry C Hanson]

With All the talk about LED lighting I thought I would share an idea for a reading light. LEDs are great but these tired eyes like bright light for reading. A few years ago I converted an inexpensive little desk lamp from 120 VAC to 12 VDC use in my trailer.

1. Open up lamp bottom to change wiring (schematic) using the wire nuts already there. Switch should be in 12 VDC + lead from center on auto lighter plug. Leave transformer in base of lamp for weight... will fall over without it.

2. Cut off AC plug and install cigarette light type plug. Use a 2 A fuse. I used one that was on a cell phone adapter cord from thrift store $.50.

3. Lamp came with 20W halogen bulb. Put in a 10W bulb for less than 1 Amp draw (Malibu yard lights use them). I recently got some 7 W bulbs but have not tried them yet. This lamp has been used many hours without a bulb burning out. I put one inside the base of the lamp to store where I will be able to find it if needed.

General lighting in my trillium is LED. Task lighting is halogen/incandescent.

Larry H





Forgot. No center conductor on halogen bulbs!